The Wisconsin State Senate, voting along straight party lines, passed the 2011-13 biennial budget 19-14 last night. Republicans rejected all Democratic amendments and offered no amendments of their own before approving the Assembly version of the bill. The Assembly had passed the bill at 3 am earlier that morning.
The vote caps months of contentious deliberations about the $66 million bill and sends the bill to Governor Scott Walker for his approval. The governor is expected to sign the bill quickly and may craft additional changes through his partial-veto powers.